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Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 10:03 pm
by Martha
Uncultured clod here. Saw it, was disappointed-- bored, even. I couldn't get past how totally unlikeable Leaud's character was. I realize that wasn't the point, but just sitting there watching him be a smug asshole eventually started to just piss me off. About 95% of the time I wanted to scream at him to shut up; I wonder if the difference between my reaction and all of yours has anything to do with the fact that I'm a woman....
The film also struck me as a bit too clever, and even (dare I say it?) lazy-- some of the bit of politics felt almost too obvious, as if Godard was sitting there grinning, nudging the audience just when the expected him to. That said, I'm very glad I saw it. And I liked parts-- how each sequence opened with silence, and the wife/nanny shooting the father.
Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 10:11 pm
by denti alligator
I loved it. But I can't give as good a reason for my liking as Martha gave for her disliking. Your comments make me want to change my mind, almost.
Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:23 pm
by yoshimori
Martha wrote:I couldn't get past how totally unlikeable Leaud's character was...
OK. I wouldn't disagree re Leaud.
But next time (if you ever see it again) imagine that Godard, too, thinks Leaud is a bit of a smug asshole. I think you'll see that he (Godard) pokes fun at him (Leaud) too. And the movie may be much more fun for you.
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 12:22 am
by Oedipax
The following was posted to the Godard mailing list today:
Two mouth-watering news items for the faithful:
1. Criterion is preparing a MASCULIN-FEMININ edition. It will most likely include interviews from the time and other video footage, the original trailer, new interviews with Jean-Pierre Gorin, Chantal Goya, perhaps other people, also an essay by a member of this group (me).
2. For Pompidou's COLLAGES DE FRANCE project, the FOR EVER GODARD book is to have a French edition - however, it is to be completely different from the English edition (i.e., not a translation). In fact, four volumes of the French project are projected! It will be comprised mainly of 'documentation' - which I presume refers to graphics, scripts, notes, and other materials to which Godard has given the editors access. JLG fuly supports this publishing project.
Adrian Martin
Great to hear, although I think most everyone has been fairly certain this would be happening. Now I wonder when they'll release it...
Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:12 am
by miloauckerman
I hope they rework the subtitles a bit for any future Rialto-sourced Criterion release - there were two or three shots with blown-out highlights at the bottom of the screen making the subtitles completely unreadable.
Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 6:42 pm
by Galen Young
Finally got to see the re-release recently, what a breath of fresh air! The anti-American and Vietnam war protest bits are charmingly radical in contrast to the very orderly and well behaved protests of the same topics in the I Am Curious Yellow/Blue films. Can't wait to what Criterion puts together for their DVD release.
Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 7:45 pm
by Cinephrenic
The anti-American and Vietnam war protest bits are charmingly radical in contrast to the very orderly and well behaved protests of the same topics in the I Am Curious Yellow/Blue films
When did the Swedes invade other countries for no apparent reason? However, this is off topic.
Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 9:12 pm
by BWilson
miloauckerman wrote:I hope they rework the subtitles a bit for any future Rialto-sourced Criterion release - there were two or three shots with blown-out highlights at the bottom of the screen making the subtitles completely unreadable.
This is always less of a problem when the subtitles are player generated. Expect the DVD to be very legible.
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:27 am
by AZAI
The trailer is already up on the Rialto page it's kinda nice and frivolous, but one thing struck me as peculiar: the trailer mentions the pepsi-generation while JLG talks about M-F being about the children of Marx & COCA-COLA......a notable difference, is it just to make it more understandable for American audiences? And isn't the mentioning of the cola-brand only relevant when mentioning Marx as a reference to radical politics? I doubt if JLG would ever approve of such a "Bande-a-part" feel in the trailer for this film......(although if asked now he probably wouldn't care(
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:13 am
by Buttery Jeb
This has got to be the fastest turnaround yet for a Rialto release to make it out on DVD, with only about six months between its release and September.
This bodes well for the other Rialtopictures making their way out this year ("The Two of Us," "Mouchette" and possibly "Pickpocket"). Shame will still probably be waiting for "The Milky Way" well into 2008.
-BJ
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:59 pm
by Andre Jurieu
Buttery Jeb wrote:This bodes well for the other Rialtopictures making their way out this year (... and possibly "Pickpocket")
I'm pretty sure
Pickpocket isn't a Rialto picture. It's not listed among their
holdings. It may bode well for
Two of Three Things I Know About Her (which will probably be the next release after
Mouchette) or
Last Year at Marienbad.
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:55 pm
by benm
there may be something to them referring to it as the pepsi-cola generation as at least in canada Quebec is the only province where more pepsi is consumed than coke.
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:17 pm
by ellipsis7
Pickpocket is coming in November...
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:41 pm
by Mathieu
Pickpocket is coming in November...
Intrigued, I raise my left eyebrow ever so slightly and wonder: "What, if anything, else can ellipsis7 tell us about the November releases?" :-k
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:07 pm
by Napier
3 discer of Dodes' ka Den!
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 9:19 pm
by Brian Oblivious
AZAI wrote: one thing struck me as peculiar: the trailer mentions the pepsi-generation while JLG talks about M-F being about the children of Marx & COCA-COLA......a notable difference, is it just to make it more understandable for American audiences?
I have a hunch that the ghost of Joan Crawford is involved.
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 9:41 pm
by Mathieu
I have a hunch that the ghost of Joan Crawford is involved.
It's really too bad Criterion doesn't have a relationship with Paramount. Besides the enormous cache of unreleased classics left to languish in their vaults, the current bare-bones edition of
Mommie Dearest could certainly use an overhaul. "Tina...bring me the axe!" Oh, there's just so many...
No...more...wire...hangers.
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:42 pm
by ellipsis7
"What, if anything, else can ellipsis7 tell us about the November releases?"
Nothing more, except for this one release, Pickpocket... Will have a freshly made docu for the CC release, and no commentary track... And no doubt, 'More...'
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 11:26 pm
by Simon
I hope Pickpocket will include Les Modeles de Pickpocket, otherwise it would be a disappointing package.
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 12:09 am
by solent
HVe have the MASCULIN release date as Sept 20. What must surely be a misprint is the film ratio quoted of 1:33.1. I have a BFI VHS of this film and it is presented in 1:66.1. I know that Coutard has gone on record saying that all colour films from the classic Godard period were in 'scope & all B&W in academy but [1] he didn't shoot MASCULIN and [2] LA CHINOISE is in colour and @ 1:33.1. Has anyone else evidence of the correct ratio - e.g. those of you who saw it theatrically recently.
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 1:16 am
by The Fanciful Norwegian
I saw it this weekend and it was 1.33:1.
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 5:32 am
by solent
I checked the video again and also looked at the review of the R2 Optimum release and I think 1.37:1 is more to the mark. (This is in fact the ratio quoted by the DVD Times reviewer.)
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:07 am
by Travis
It's a 29.95-er...single disc, then.
I'll be snatching it up.
Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 12:17 am
by The Fanciful Norwegian
benm wrote:there may be something to them referring to it as the pepsi-cola generation as at least in canada Quebec is the only province where more pepsi is consumed than coke.
The term "Pepsi Generation" is in the film -- an interviewer asks Madeleine if she considers herself part of the "Pepsi Generation."
Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:06 am
by Jeff
AZAI wrote:The trailer is already up on the Rialto page it's kinda nice and frivolous, but one thing struck me as peculiar: the trailer mentions the pepsi-generation while JLG talks about M-F being about the children of Marx & COCA-COLA......a notable difference, is it just to make it more understandable for American audiences? And isn't the mentioning of the cola-brand only relevant when mentioning Marx as a reference to radical politics?
Roger Ebert addressed this in his
"Answer Man" column:
Q. Just watched the new trailer for the re-release of Godard's "Masculine-Feminine," the movie that makes the famous statement, "We are the children of Marx and Coca-Cola." The new trailer says it's a movie about Paris, sex and "the Pepsi Generation."
No children of Marx and Coca-Cola here. Then, at the end of the trailer there's a copyright notice for Pepsi -- followed by the statement that Paris and sex are still in the public domain. What is going on here? Did Coke forbid the mention of its product? If not, why would they substitute Pepsi?
Jim Emerson, Seattle
A. Bruce Goldstein, of Film Forum and Rialto Pictures, replies: "The Pepsi disclaimer at the end of the trailer was a little joke of mine. No one asked us to add the copyright notice, nor does PepsiCo even know about it (maybe they will after reading your column). And there was no interference by the Coca-Cola company. Originally I tried working 'the Children of Coca-Cola' into the trailer, but felt it was too academic and a little off-putting. However, in the movie, Chantal Goya is asked if she's a member of 'the Pepsi Generation,' so it's a fair reference. (Her answer: 'J'adore Pepsi.')"